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Abbott government's fuel tax increase will die in Senate

Greens Leader Christine Milne says the Greens will not support the Abbott government's increase to the fuel tax because:

There is no money invested in public transport projects, with hypothecation to roads funding

Big miners are let off the hook with an increase in rebate, they should progressively pay more for fuel like everyone else over time

The Abbott government will not use fuel excise as a price signal, with a hypocritical and inconsistent approach to reducing carbon pollution

"Tony Abbott's policy is not a tax on pollution, it's a tax on families who have no access to public transport," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"The Prime Minister doesn't get it. Fuel excise should be about moving away from pollution, but Tony Abbott just sees it as a way of raising revenue, taxing people who have no access to public transport or more efficient cars.

"The Greens support taxing pollution but it makes absolutely no sense to put the money into roads - that will increase congestion and make it harder for people in places with little or no public transport.

"Big miners should pay more for fuel just like everyone else. Why should Gina Rinehart get cheap fuel when ordinary commuters suffer?

"Tony Abbott wants to back the big miners, continue to give them cheap fuel, and make ordinary families pay more.

"This is a difficult issue for the Greens because we do want to move away from polluting fuels. We said from the beginning that we would need to see the detail of the proposal.

"Now that we have seen the legislation, it's completely clear that the Abbott government's proposal is worse than a zero sum game for pollution.

"Investing all the money in roads, making congestion and pollution worse, and letting the big miners get off scot free means we cannot support the bill.

"The Greens recognise that the Abbott government will not negotiate or accept changes. Tony Abbott is crash or crash though. We also have zero confidence in the Prime Minister's word. He says one thing and does another. The Greens will therefore vote down the package as a whole with no negotiation."